Month: July 2012

Coffee’s great when it’s hot or when it’s iced, but when it’s in that middle ground — the uncanny valley — between the two, it’s downright terrible.

The uncanny valley is a computer graphics term for that zone where replicas of humans, such as computer-animated characters or robots lie look and act almost, but not quite like real human beings. The valley is that zone between a cartoon-like approximation of human appearance and behaviour on one end and perfect human appearance and behaviour on the other. In the uncanny valley, the imitation is just “off” enough to look wrong or creepy. Examples of the uncanny valley include the robotic women in The Stepford Wives, whose behaviour was a little too much like a social conservative’s fantasies, and the way the human characters were rendered in the computer-animated film The Polar Express.

Found via “Coffee”.

Given the reputation of British cuisine, it’s hard to tell whether shoppers were relieved or disappointed.

Here’s the Whiskas Cat Milk page, in case you were wondering what the stuff actually is.

Going to Necro Game Day today, hence the tribute above, from the original Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide — the infamous Random Harlot Encounter Table.

Death Wish Coffee claims to be a dark roast coffee with close to twice the caffeine of your typical coffee shop roast. I have no idea what it tastes like, but there are times when I could use that kind of jolt, and I’ve always been partial to skulls and crossbones on packaging.

Found via Mike Elgan.

Found via Cali Lewis. Click the image to see the source.

It’s a much more effective warning than “Danger: sharp cutting blade inside”. I suspect there’s some kind of precedent that led to the additional warning label.

Come to think of it, I know a few towns — and people — that should be plastered with this message.